Detecting Contraband in Prisons – What Is Contraband?

Keeping prisons safe starts with the utilization of the best detection technology like advanced full body scanners.

Before any type of detection technology for corrections including scanners can be used accurately, the definition of what classifies as contraband must be made.

Without policies that include the definition of contraband and how it must be detected, full body scanning is not as effective as it could be.

What Is Considered Contraband in Corrections Facilities?

In its most basic definition, contraband refers to illicit items that are not allowed within a facility being brought in or out illegally.

The challenge with relying on the basic definition of contraband is that what is prohibited in one facility may not be the same as what is prohibited in another.

While most people have a good idea as to which items are typically considered to be contraband, relying solely on interpretation can open the door for inaccuracies, even using advanced detection technology like full body scanners.

Scanning Is Helpful Only When Contraband Is Explicitly Defined

As useful as full body scanning with today’s more accurate and advanced detection technology may be, it can only be used to its greatest abilities by when the exact definition of contraband according to each specific facility is clearly stated.

In prisons and other correctional facilities, contraband normally refers to items like weapons, illegal drugs, items that could facilitate escape, tobacco, explosives of any kind, and alcohol, the obvious items that most people are aware of.

Other Possible Definitions of Contraband

Depending on the type of facility and the level of security, contraband can also refer to things like aerosol spray cans, medications, smoking accessories, USB storage drives, tattooing equipment, flammable liquids, and other specific and lesser-known items.

Unless there are policies in effect that identify all of these things and detection technology is used to detect all of these items, even the most accurate full body scanning features can still fail to keep a facility safe against contraband due to human inaccuracy.

In Summary

While it is essential that every prison has accurate detection technology for corrections systems in place, that technology cannot actually be protective without a unique definition of what constitutes contraband within that facility where it is being used.

The prime goal at every prison is to keep inmates and staff safe by keeping contraband out.

That can only happen when all staff understands the definition of contraband in their setting and are fully trained on how to use available detection technology to accurately locate those specific items.

1 Jan

Which Is Better? Movers or a DIY Moving Pod?

Pod moving containers have become a popular alternative for DIY moves, as they offer a convenient and affordable moving and storage solution.

In a few situations, these storage and moving containers can make sense over hiring full-service movers.

Yet in other instances, regular moving services can still be a better option, even in those situations when moving dates do not coincide and item storage is required.

Benefits of Moving Pods

Why choose a moving pod?

The biggest benefit that moving containers offer is time, as those preparing for local moves can gradually pack their belongings and put them in the pod over days or weeks until it is finally filled up, then call the container service to have the unit picked up and relocated.

They can be less expensive than regular moving services, but pods only work out if there is a place for them to sit while it’s being loaded up.

Concerns About Moving Pods

Another concern is that customers must move their heavy furnishings into the container themselves, which may be difficult.

The fact that the pod sits out in the sun and/or the cold might be another issue that could affect the ability to actually use it as intended since some home items can be damaged by high or low temperatures.

Pods come priced for moves within a limited area, too.

Pods Can Be Very Convenient

Limitations aside, moving containers can be convenient for those dealing with a move-out date that does not correspond with their move-in date and it is necessary to store belongings for a while.

Storage usually comes at an additional fee, but it is a simpler solution than moving boxes to a storage unit, then moving them from the unit to the new residence.

Storage Is Available From Moving Services Also

What many people may not realize is that most moving services offer the same short-term storage options to help their customers deal with moving schedule discrepancies, sometimes at no extra cost.

Not only do customers hiring traditional local movers then have the advantage of someone else loading and unloading the truck, but the movers will frequently store goods in their own warehouses between move-out and move-in day, keeping items protected and climate-controlled.

Which Is The Better Option?

So, which is the better option to choose, a moving pod container or a regular moving service?

While both have their advantages and disadvantages, hiring moving services is better for those who want their things moved quickly and safely be professionals, even if that requires a short period of storage between pickup and dropoff.

Moving pods can work well for some who are willing to put in the hours of work themselves to get everything, including their heavy furniture, into the container, but full-service movers can do it all quickly and responsibly!

1 Jan

Why Are The Newest Full Body Scanners Safer to Use?

Body scanners have been in use in prisons, airports, and countless other facilities to improve security for many years now.

While these devices have already been instrumental in improving security at these locations, the technology is continually being updated, suggesting that facilities should be updating their equipment.

Are Body Scanners Worth the Expense?

As expensive as full body scanning machines are, it might lead some to question what the value is in replacing older x-ray body scanning units with newer ones.

This is a valid question that has an equally valid response for heads of corrections facilities especially to take into consideration.

Better Imaging - The latest technology in body scanners has introduced groundbreaking imaging improvements, with high-definition 3D imaging making it possible to detect contraband as small as a packet of powder or differentiate between living tissue and other materials.
Lower Radiation - Improved full body scanning can now be performed using a fraction of the dose of older, legacy machines, a factor that is especially important in prison facilities and similar where multiple scans per day can be normal.
Fewer Physical Interactions - Greater accuracy with lower radiation means fewer of the questionable images common with older x-ray body scanning machines as well as fewer pat-downs and other physical interactions. Advanced body scanners with 3D imaging and automatic detection eliminate the guesswork of older machines, making security scanning as close to being a completely hands-off process as it has ever been.

Based on these three noteworthy reasons, it should be clear how today’s more advanced body scanners make the security screening process faster and more convenient, but also safer for everyone involved.

Correctional facilities that have already updated their full body scanning capabilities are getting lower radiation readings among staff and inmates both, seeing fewer calls for pat-downs and body cavity searches, and experiencing fewer overdose incidences and illicit substances being passed around the facility.

The Final Focus

The important takeaway in this is that there is more to safety than just reducing radiation dose, which has always been a focus of improving x-ray body scanning technology.

Safety in correctional facilities is also measured by the kinds of interactions happening between inmates and staff, and the reduction of harm to the inmates themselves from contraband such as weapons and drugs.

With better ways to reduce all of these risks, every facility using full body scanning should seriously look at how upgrading to the latest technology can further improve the safety level at that facility.

1 Jan

Family Photography: Is it art or coincidence?

The best way to capture moments is to take it all I and save a piece of it in a photograph. Family is the closet it can get to happiness and no family is bound by titles or blood. It is all in the hearts of the people that connect us and bind us together. Moments of impact are made possible with the reflection in the eyes of beloved and the smile that lights up the room in its simplicity. Laughter and hugs may it claps or tears all have their place in the heart. Heart takes a photographic memory of its own; the camera simply translates the emotion into a picture worth a thousand words.

Family photography is the best art that exists since it takes in all the emotions and puts it into a frame size. The smaller the frame the deeper the emotions are portrayed in the images. Art is influential and so is family, art makes you think twice about what you see and perceive and so does our families. Family photography however brings people from all different places with different aspirations and aims and binds them together into a single laugh and a picture worth words beyond limits.

Famliy photography is a coincidental art; it manifests the emotions and deep looking eyes with the most naught smiles and haughty laughs. The camera never fails to capture the first steps or firs kiss. It never leaves the hand. A picture taken a long time ago can bring back memories that take us back to who we were and where we belonged and how long our journey has been. It is exquisite to see yourself and your family perfect in their appreciated flaws in a resolution printed out and hanged in a frame. If not a frame than in hearts-it is still a moment and will always be a photographic and an unforgettable moment in time.

1 Jan

How do Fitness Coaches Help Their Beginner Clients?

If you are new to the idea of working out with fitness coaches, you may wonder why doing so is better than doing it without a coach.

Fitness training is just working out, isn’t it?

What Is Involved in Fitness Training?

Truthfully, there is much more to fitness training than just running for miles or using the weight machines at the gym for an hour or the other things you might assume it involves.

That is because every person’s fitness program is different and if not done the right way, workouts will, at their best, give minimal results.

That could get discouraging and prevent you from continuing.

At their worst, they can cause injuries without you realizing it, or even exacerbate existing health or physical problems.

Try Personalized Fitness Coaching

To avoid these issues and get the kinds of results you want but may not have ever gotten in the past, try fitness coaching this time.

With personalized fitness coaching, you will partner with a fitness expert who has a vast knowledge of not just how to work out, but also how each type of workout affects the body and how to achieve different fitness goals with a good fitness plan.

Assess Your Fitness Level

Fitness coaching begins with an overall assessment of your physical condition and health and then a discussion about what your goals are.

Taking into consideration any health or physical issues you may have, your fitness coach will develop a fitness plan with you that starts small and progresses with gradually more significant goals as you go.

They will help you stay motivated, and be there to help you through trouble spots as well, so you keep meeting your goals, step-by-step.

Benefits of Personal Fitness Coaches

Most importantly, fitness coaches understand what practices will provide the most benefit for beginner fitness students so their energy is well spent and they start to see results.

Your coach will show the best activities to do and how to correctly do them, then guide you gradually through more challenging workouts.

With this kind of fitness training you can workout smarter, not harder, and gain even bigger benefits.

Your coach will start you out with what you need while simultaneously teaching you the hows and whys of different exercises so you can continue on your own.

Great Place for Beginners to Start Fitness Training

Beginners who enroll in personalized fitness coaching gain access to knowledgeable fitness professionals who specialize in showing you how to reach your fitness goals safely, faster, and more easily than going it alone.

When you understand not just how to exercise, but also how your body works, you will see the results!

Find a local fitness coach today and take the first step toward achieving a healthier, fitter you in 2022!

1 Jan

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Moving Company for Residential Moving Services

Residential moving entails a lot of other tasks as well which usually people do not take into consideration when planning out their residential move.

Usually, the people involved in residential moving are not used to this as it is not something one experiences very often.

So being an inexperienced residential mover is an inherent feature of this process and it is due to this reason that it often ends up as a move with so many mistakes.

Don't Consider a DIY Move

The best way to deal with residential moving is not consider making it DIY; instead, a professional residential moving company should be hired to do the job.

It might seem that it will increase your moving cost which is already a concern for you due to so many costs arising during the moving itself when in fact, it saves your cost eventually.

Saving your time and giving you peace of mind is certainly a promising factor.

Get a Moving Estimate Made

The best way to start a residential move is by having an estimate from a couple of residential moving companies in the area.

Ask them to pay a visit and show them detailed items to be moved.

A good residential moving company will always have a detailed analysis of the items and will give you an estimate based upon that.

You can then compare quotes and pricing of the other moving companies and the services they offer.

Don't Just Use Transportation Services

It is often best to use their complete residential moving service plan which shall include: packing, loading, transportation, unloading, re-assembly.

These are the five steps involved in the moving process and it is assumed that residential moving companies shall be hired only for the third step of their moving/transportation services and the remaining tasks those who are moving can perform themselves and save some money; however, it has always been seen that do it yourself moving leads to an unsuccessful move.

Use A Moving Company's Full Services

The best way is to hire a moving company and have their complete residential moving services in it.

In the packing procedure, they will use the packing material which is best suited for their needs and they are aware how to pack delicate, fragile items which might get damaged during the moving process.

It's best to have professionals deal it their way rather than risking your expensive items on a stake.

Loading and unloading could take hours of your time and you might not fully utilize the space of the truck.

Professional movers have stretchers, sliders and other equipment that help load the heavy items as in kitchen appliances, sofas, etc. easily on the truck and maximum truck space is utilized saving your transportation cost.

The same procedure goes with unloading as well. It might take hours to unload the items and the truck is usually rented on an hourly basis and will increase your moving cost.

The last stage of residential moving requires assembling items in your new house. It can take a lot of your time and hard work to assemble it accordingly and after a rough day, you might not have the energy to do that at all.

Be More Relaxed With Professional Movers

Professional residential movers are trained to do that efficiently. They will take will take care of all moving services so you can feel relaxed to see your household items being transported safely.

1 Jan

Why Should You Let A Professional Tax Prepared Handle your Taxes?

They say there are only two things in life that we can all count on: taxes, and death.

Actually doing your taxes can itself be a painful experience when you don’t have the right tax help.

A better idea might just be to let a professional tax preparer do it for you.

With the ease of simply collecting up your paperwork and answering a few questions, leaving it to the tax professionals can definitely make tax time less arduous.

Tax Preparers Provide Valuable Help

There are many other great reasons that you should consider letting a professional tax preparer handle your income tax filing besides the ability to avoid the headache that it can become.

Paying a small fee is a worthwhile convenience for many people who would rather avoid the complexities of tax preparation, even using some of the leading tax software.

Every tax filer is different, and commercially available tax software cannot answer every question relating to each filer’s personal situation correctly.

Tax Professionals Help Small Businesses

Another thing that tax professionals can do that commercial software or trying to DIY cannot is help small business owners file an accurate return while benefiting from the most deductions, credits, and other advantages.

Tax laws pertaining to business differ across industries, financial brackets, location, and even personal information about the business owner.

Working with a professional tax help service, business owners have access to all of this knowledge and experience.

There is no guesswork, misinterpretation of tax laws, or other mistakes that could miss available benefits or somehow trigger an audit.

Plan For The Future With Professional Tax Help

Working with a tax professional can also help you plan for the future, whether with suggestions on personal finances or retirement planning based on your current financial situation, or business planning to take advantage of available tax breaks in the future.

The advice gained from experienced tax help preparers can often save clients much more than what is spent paying for this tax help in the first place.

Make Your Tax Filing Quick and Easy

Lastly, having your personal or business taxes done by a professional tax preparer means trouble-free preparation and filing, quickly.

Experienced tax professionals can prepare complex tax documents much more quickly than the average person can, which means you will receive any tax returns due to you faster.

Even if you owe this year, it will be over and done with quickly, with much less headache than if you choose to toil over receipts and rules and trying to figure out deductions and credits on your own.

Seek Professional Tax Help!

Tax season is right around the corner, and we all know what that means - the time to hire a professional tax preparer to do your income taxes is almost here!

1 Jan

Do You Really Know What Is Involved With Payroll Management?

One way that many small businesses like to cut corners is by providing their own in-house payroll services.

It does seem easy enough to calculate pay and then cut payroll checks, right? Truthfully, there is a lot more to payroll management than a few quick calculations.

Done efficiently and correctly, doing payroll is actually quite time-consuming, which is why there are entire payroll companies out there offering their services to business owners that have plenty of other things to do.

What Makes Up Payroll Management?

What is involved in payroll management? All of these different steps:

Gathering and managing employee personal and payroll information.
Calculating each employee’s gross pay.
Calculating net pay amount by determining and subtracting pre-tax and tax deductions.
Calculating employer-paid taxes like unemployment taxes, Medicare and social security taxes, and local taxes.
Reconciling all calculations to check for correctness, then creating payroll journal entries.
Cutting and distributing payroll checks.
Submitting healthcare, tax, and retirement payments.
Creating, storing, and distributing weekly, monthly, and yearly payroll records documents.

Payroll Involves A Lot of Work

From just this list it should be easy to see that there is a lot more involved in the correct execution of payroll services for any business.

All of these steps need to happen every pay period to keep the business accounts correctly balanced and to avoid the problems that can happen when taxes are not properly estimated or not submitted on time.

Making the required retirement and healthcare payments just add more complexity to the process, which can and should take hours each pay period.

That is all time that a business owner could be using more effectively, making their company more profitable, instead.

Why You Need To Use A Payroll Company

Payroll companies provide a specialized accounting service that every business with employees needs.

In times when tax laws, healthcare costs, and many other financial business factors continue to change, keeping up with it all can keep business owners away from doing what they do best - running their company.

Once a business is set up with a payroll management service, the only time investment on the owner’s part is submitting employee information, pay adjustments, and other changes; the service will take care of everything else.

Best Advice – Get Payroll Help!

The takeaway here is simple. Any business owner can try their hand at handling their own payroll services, but it is much more cost-effective in the long run to let a payroll company do it, instead.

The gain for doing this is more time to spend running the business with less time spent slowly working through specialized accounting tasks or even making mistakes.

Professional payroll services help companies be more profitable!

1 Jan

Why Consider Family Counseling?

Of all the people we love and trust the most, none are more important to us than our family.

From the time we are children growing up to the point when we are adults with our own families, family members are critical life relationships and make up a main support group for us and each other.

No family is perfect, however, and when problems arise and families are strained as a result, family relationships counseling can be invaluable.

Family Problems and Relationships

Relationship problems that develop within a family and keep it from functioning well can make life challenging for all involved.

Whether the problems are due to job pressures, poor communication, financial stress, emotional or intimacy issues, infidelity in the marriage, or other concerns, these types of issues can build up, drastically and negatively affecting daily life for the whole group.

Family problems can eventually lead to frequent arguing, emotional and mental issues, marital problems, childhood problems, and even divorce if not eventually addressed.

These problems can negatively affect everyone, turning a family into anything but the loving, caring unit that a family should be. To remedy these situations, family counseling and therapy can be extremely helpful.

Family Relationships Counseling

Family relationships counseling covers a number of areas to help people within a family unit have a happier, more supportive, and more loving family life.

It is useful for spouses, parents, as well as children and can help families learn how to better handle the challenges that life brings in a more positive way and a large part of achieving that is identifying roles within the family, and the expectations involved with each of those roles.

Family counseling can help family members to understand their position within the unit, how to deal with the different stressors that affect their lives, and how to work together to maintain a cohesive family unit and household.

The Value of Family Counseling

To be a part of a strong, happy family is a blessing and while all people and families do have their problems, knowing how to deal with those problems collectively is key.

For anyone experiencing ongoing relationship stress within their home, family relationship counseling can help to bring the love back while keeping the family intact.

Before resorting to breaking up the group, couples and parents should consider individual or couples counseling with a therapist that specializes in family relationship problems.

Opening the lines of communication and problems solving together could be just what your family needs to get back on track.

1 Jan

Massage Therapy – A Great Solution for Chronic Headaches

Headaches are terrible, especially when they are chronic or when typical over-the-counter remedies don’t seem to help much.

Did you know that massage therapy is a great solution for many types of headache?

If not, you may want to try a massage the next time you start getting headaches again.

From frequent tension headaches to chronic migraines, techniques like myofascial massage, Swedish, and relaxation massage can all help to relieve the pain of frequent headaches in a natural, drug-free way.

How Are Headaches Helped by Massage Therapy?

But exactly how does massage therapy help chronic headaches?

When the right techniques are used, massage affects the body in a number of ways that can reduce the very conditions that cause those headaches.

Relaxation Helps

First and foremost, massage therapy causes the body to relax physically, which helps to lower blood pressure.

Many tension headaches are caused by tense muscles and tendons and higher blood pressure.

Swedish massage, general relaxation massage, hot stone massage, and other relaxing techniques done regularly can reduce damaging tension that is responsible for headaches, anxiety, depression, and other physical and mental problems.

Myofascial Massage Helps

Yet beyond tension and general headaches are the more serious migraines which can also be lessened through regular massage therapy.

Research studies on the effects of massage to migraine sufferers indicates that done twice weekly, myofascial massage can start to reduce the frequency of migraines after about four or five weeks.

Although that may seem like a lot of massages, any migraine sufferer can tell you that anything that helps in the long run is worth it to them.

Myofascial massage therapy of the face, neck, head, and trigeminal area is especially useful for reducing blood pressure, anxiety, cortisol levels, and many other factors that contribute to migraines.

Seek Other Intervention for Ongoing Headaches

We all get the occasional headache from time-to-time and have our own preferred ways to deal with them.

When headaches become chronic, however, more intervention may be needed.

Always talk about chronic headaches with your doctor first as headaches can be a symptom of many different health issues.

Then, schedule some massage therapy to help relieve the symptoms.

Got Headaches? Try Massage Therapy!

Before taking another pill or suffering in silence, see if massage can help when used alongside current therapies.

Whether you choose relaxation massage to relieve tension headaches or require trigger point myofascial massage to help with frequent migraines, you will appreciate the benefits.

Regular massages are an effective, medication-free solution for chronic and debilitating headaches that can help you regain your quality of life!